The Middlebury softball team broke the program record for home runs in a season, as the Panthers (16-8, 8-4) completed a three-game NESCAC West series sweep of visiting Wesleyan (10-15, 2-5) on Saturday. The hosts won the opening game of the doubleheader 12-4 in six innings and took game two 12-2 in five innings. Next up for Middlebury is a home twin bill against Plattsburgh State on Tuesday at 3:30 p.m., while the Cardinals host Hamilton on Sunday for a pair of conference contests.
Prior to the doubleheader, the Panthers recognized their senior class for their hard work and dedication to the program. Honored were Sophie Bolinger, Sophia Marlino, Jen McGann and Noelle Ruschil as well as student managers Sugeidy Ferreira and Sara Tobias for their dedication and hard work.
On the day, Middlebury hit four home runs and set a new single-season team record with 25, topping the old mark of 22 set in 2016.
The visitors grabbed the early lead in the opening contest, scoring a pair of runs in their initial at bat. Sophia Sciarappa drove in a run with a base hit inside the bag at first to plate a run and later scored on a bloop single to center field by Hannah Docktor for a 2-0 advantage.
The Panthers had an impressive response when Abby Santis drilled a three-run homer, clearing the scoreboard in center field. The hosts made it 4-2, as McGann raced home from second on an infield hit by Megan Fox.
Middlebury's advantage ballooned to 7-2 in the third, thanks to RBI singles from Nina Schroeder, Tori Papaleo and Jordyn Johnson.
Santis became the third different Panther this spring to hit two home runs in a game when she lined a shot over the fence in left center for two more runs and a 9-2 lead.
The Cardinals made a push in the top half of the fifth frame, scoring twice. Sciarappa drove in a run with a double to right field, while Isabella Secaira-Cotta plated the other tally with a single.
Middlebury added two unearned runs in the home half of the inning and capped the 12-4 six-inning win with another unearned score in the final frame.
Papaleo had a nice game at the plate for the Panthers, going 3-4 with a run scored, while Santis went 2-4 with a pair of homers and five RBI. Abigail Jankowski (3-2) went the distance to earn the win in the circle, allowing four runs (two earned) on five hits with five strikeouts.
For Wesleyan, Sciarappa had a balanced effort with two hits, two runs scored and a pair of RBIs, while Secaira-Cotta also had two hits. Revi Brown (5-5) suffered the loss, yielding nine runs in three innings.
In the second game, Middlebury again used a home run to open the scoring in its first turn at the plate. This time, Ruschil connected on a solo shot, becoming the program's all-time leader in homers with 15, breaking a tie with Melanie Mandell '21 and Christina Freyer '04.
The Panthers had a huge frame in the second, scoring nine times and sending 15 batters to the plate. Papaleo and Johnson drove in runs with singles, while Ruschil ripped a grand slam to left for a 7-0 cushion. Schroeder later added to the advantage with a two-run base hit to left field and McGann drove in the final tally of the stanza with a base hit to right for a 10-0 lead.
Sciarappa trimmed the difference to 10-2 in the third with a two-run single, while McGann plated a run in the home half of the inning with a base hit.
Ruschil capped the scoring in the bottom of the fourth, making it 12-2 with an RBI groundout.
Ruschil had a big game at the plate going 3-4 with two homers, six RBI and scored three times. This marked the second time this season Ruschil has homered twice in a contest and she leads the NESCAC with 11 round trippers. Papaleo recorded her second multi-hit game of the day with a 2-3 performance and two RBI. Jewel Ashbrook (9-3) scattered five hits and allow two runs for her third-straight victory.
Courtney Collins-Pisano led the Cardinals with two hits and Sciarappa had one hit and drove in both runs. Brooklin Williams (1-4) went 1.1 innings and surrendered nine runs in taking the loss.
